By Trevor Jackson
Kalangadoo v Port MacDonnell
In all forms of sport, the grand final rematch is the one all eyes are glued to.
In Round 3 of Mid South East football this weekend we see just that, as Kalangadoo hosts Port MacDonnell in what promises to be an entertaining clash.
Kalangadoo will want revenge for its grand final loss to the Demons and will certainly throw everything at the contest.
It will be a tough task for Port MacDonnell to hold on, in just its second game of the 2022 season.
The Demons began with a tough hitout against Kongorong in the opening round, claiming the win by 25 points after trailing at the first break.
The Demons then opened the game up with a five-goal second term and never really looked back, although they had to remain vigilant throughout the remainder of the game as the Hawks pushed hard.
From there the reigning premiers enjoyed a week off with the bye, followed of course by the Easter weekend.
In contrast, the Magpies have played two games for two wins and sit in second spot behind Hatherleigh on the ladder.
The good news for the Magpies was the return of Michael Krieger last round, after a late-season injury which saw the gun forward out of the last two games of 2021.
he duly kicked seven goals last round just to let everyone know he was back and will certainly be a big focal point against the Demons.
Port MacDonnell’s plan for the season suggests they will not be in the race this weekend, as they look to build momentum as the season unfolds and peak at the right time of the year.
While that all sounds good, no one wants to go out and lose any game, especially one with such importance attached.
Unfortunately Port MacDonnell has lost a huge amount of experience and class from its premiership year and will struggle to keep pace with the Magpies in this one.
Kalangadoo coach Kevin Stark suggested he was not looking to atone for the grand final loss last year, saying it would obviously not give them the flag they probably should have won.
However, there would surely be many in the Magpies camp who would want revenge and no doubt Krieger would love a big bag of goals to show the Demons what could have happened had he been fit in September last year.
The Magpies should win this one in a canter.
